Fuels Workshop丨Industrial Catalysis and Sustainable Energy
29 April 2026
Welcome from the Chairs
1st Fuels Workshop
Industrial Catalysis and Sustainable Energy
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to this workshop entitled “Industrial Catalysis and Sustainable Energy” organized by Democritus University of Thrace, Greece and Sorbonne University, France, and hosting by MDPI Fuels Journal.
This Workshop aims to bring together researchers and professionals working at the interface of catalysis and energy, providing a platform to share recent advances, discuss emerging technologies, and explore innovative solutions for a more sustainable energy future. Industrial catalysis plays a pivotal role in enabling efficient processes, reducing environmental impact, and supporting the transition toward cleaner energy systems.
We are delighted to host speakers who will present their latest research, insights, and perspectives. Their contributions will highlight current challenges as well as opportunities in areas such as catalytic process design, alternative fuels, and sustainable energy technologies. We hope this Workshop will serve as an engaging forum for knowledge exchange, fruitful discussion, and future collaboration. There will also be time for questions, and we warmly encourage your active participation.
Looking forward to meeting you at this workshop on industrial catalysis and sustainable energy.
Date: 29 Apr 2026
Time: 03:00 pm CEST | 9:00 am EDT | 9:00 pm CST Asia
Event Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Registration
This is a FREE workshop. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the event. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the workshop.
Event Chairs & Speakers
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Ag. Loukas, 65404 Kavala, Greece,
Petroleum Institute, Democritus University of Thrace, Ag. Loukas, 65404 Kavala, Greece,
Hephaestus Laboratory, School of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Ag. Loukas, 65404 Kavala, Greece
Dr Nikolaos C. Kokkinos is Full Professor at the Department of Chemistry of the School of Sciences of the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), Greece. He is the Director of the Petroleum Institute at DUTH and he holds a Research Director position at Hephaestus Laboratory. Dr Nikolaos Kokkinos has over fifteen years’ experience in the academia as a lecturer on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in chemistry and energy engineering and additional ten years’ experience in the energy industry as an engineering consultant. He is editor and reviewer in various scientific journals in the field of energy engineering, applied catalysis, biofuels and scientific simulations. He participates as expert panelist and research evaluator in national, European and international research bodies. Dr Nikolaos Kokkinos has more than 150 peer-reviewed publications in international scientific journals and conference proceedings. His research interests, among others, include applied catalysis, bioenergy, energy engineering, process modeling and simulation.
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7197, Laboratoire de Réactivité de Surface (LRS), Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France
Franck Launay is Full Professor at Sorbonne Université in Paris and is carrying out his research activities in Laboratoire de Réactivité de Surface. His work focuses on the utilization of porous materials for the design of selective and stable heterogeneous catalysts with applications mainly targeting the valorisation of CO2, biomass and recently, plastic waste to get platform molecules or energy carriers. Dr Franck Launay has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in international scientific journals.
Keynote Speakers
Institut Jean Le Rond d’Alembert, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7190, F-78210 Saint Cyr L’Ecole, France
Patrick Da Costa is Full Professor at Sorbonne Université in Paris at the Engineering Faculty and is carrying out his research activities in D’Alembert Institute since 2010. His work focuses on the heterogeneous catalysis for Environment and Energy issues. In the last decade, he focused his research on CO2 catalytic and plasma-catalytic utilization. Patrick Da Costa published more than 250 peer-reviewed articles in international scientific journals and has more than 10 patents linked with Environmental Catalysis.
Hephaestus Laboratory, School of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Ag. Loukas, 65404 Kavala, Greece
Dr. Kalliopi Ladomenou was elected Assistant Professor in 2022 at the Department of Chemistry, Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH). She completed her BSc and MSc degrees in Chemistry from the University of Crete (UOC) and her PhD from the University of Liverpool, UK, where she worked on porphyrin-based complexes for carbohydrate recognition. She then held a postdoctoral position at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on molecular systems for catalysis, and later continued as a Researcher at UOC. With over 12 years of teaching and supervision experience, she has participated in several national and European projects and successfully secured research funding. Her research focuses on the synthesis of chromophores and catalysts for solar energy conversion, hydrogen (H₂) production, CO₂ reduction, artificial photosynthesis, and environmental applications. Dr. Ladomenou has published extensively in high-impact journals, authored a book chapter, holds a patent, and serves as a reviewer and research proposal evaluator.
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Ag. Loukas, 65404 Kavala, Greece,
Petroleum Institute, Democritus University of Thrace, Ag. Loukas, 65404 Kavala, Greece
Mrs. Elissavet Emmanouilidou is a chemist and researcher in the Department of Chemistry. Her research focuses on sustainable energy, with particular emphasis on biofuel production, biodiesel upgrading, and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
Program
|
Speaker |
Presentation Title |
Time in CEST |
Time in EDT |
|
Prof. Dr. Nikolaos C. Kokkinos |
Chair Introduction |
3:00–3:10 p.m. |
9:00–9:10 a.m. |
|
Prof. Dr. Franck Launay |
Use of Mesoporous Magnesium Carbonates for the Design of Ni-Based Methanation Catalysts |
3:10–3:30 p.m. |
9:10–9:30 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
3:30–3:35 p.m. |
9:30–9:35 a.m. |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Nikolaos C. Kokkinos |
Heterogenized Homogeneous Catalysis in Aqueous Media for Sustainable Industrial Energy Applications |
3:35–3:55 p.m. |
9:35–9:55 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
3:55–4:00 p.m. |
9:55–10:00 a.m. |
|
|
Prof. Dr. Patrick Da Costa |
On the Structure Reactivity and Synthesis Strategy of Mixed-Oxides Prepared by Microwave-Assisted Solution Combustion Synthesis / XAS and XRD Operando Study |
4:00–4:20 p.m. |
10:00–10:20 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
4:20–4:25 p.m. |
10:20–10:25 a.m. |
|
|
Dr. Kalliopi Ladomenou |
Sustainable Hydrogen Production via Carbon Dot–Porphyrin Hybrid Photocatalysts |
4:25–4:45 p.m. |
10:25–10:45 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
4:45–4:50 p.m. |
10:45–10:50 a.m. |
|
|
Ms. Elissavet Emmanouilidou |
Conversion of Biomass Substrates Into Advanced Biofuels and Their In-Situ Catalytic Property Enhancement |
4:50–5:10 p.m. |
10:50–11:10 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
5:10–5:15 p.m. |
11:10–11:15 a.m. |
|
|
MDPI Speaker - Nikola Dobrota |
Overview of Submission Process |
5:15–5:25 p.m. |
11:15–11:25 a.m. |
|
Prof. Dr. Franck Launay |
Closing of Workshop |
5:25–5:30 p.m. |
11:25–11:30 a.m. |
Relevant Special Issue
Biofuels and Bioenergy: New Advances and Challenges
Edited by Nikolaos C. Kokkinos
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 August 2026
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
Collaboration
